Wooden Structure for Stair

ABSTRACT

A wooden structure for a stair having tread and riser surfaces includes a tread member including a tread core layer made of lower quality wood and having a tread bottom face, and a tread lamella layer fixed on top of the tread core layer, made of higher quality wood, and having a tread top face. The tread member has a first height, and tread front and rear end faces respectively interconnecting front and rear ends of the tread top and bottom faces. A front nose member has a front nose rear face connected to the tread front end face and having a part extending downwardly from the tread front end face and adapted to face the riser surface, a front decorative face, and front nose top and bottom ends spaced apart from each other by a second height that is larger than the first height.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a structural element used in residential and commercial buildings, more particularly to a wooden structure for a stair.

2. Description of the Related Art

A wooden structure for a stair, such as that disclosed in each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,596,362, 5,985,398, and 6,860,071, includes a tread body made of a plurality of wooden strips, and a nose member fixed to a front end of the tread body. The tread body and the nose member have the same height. However, the aforesaid wooden structure lacks a decorative effect, and cannot cover a defect on a top portion of a riser member of a stair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a wooden structure that has a strong structure and that has a decorative effect so as to be suitable for use on a stair.

According to this invention, a wooden structure for a stair comprises a tread member and a front nose member. The stair has a tread surface and a riser surface. The tread member includes a tread core layer made of lower quality wood and having a tread bottom face, and a tread lamella layer fixed on top of the tread core layer, made of higher quality wood, and having a tread top face opposite to the tread bottom face. The tread member has a first height, a tread front end face interconnecting front ends of the tread top and bottom faces, and a tread rear end face interconnecting rear ends of the tread top and bottom faces. The front nose member is made of wood, and has a front nose rear face connected to the tread front end face and having a part extending downwardly from the tread front end face and adapted to face the riser surface, a front decorative face opposite to the front nose rear face, a front nose top end interconnecting top ends of the front nose rear face and the front decorative face, and a front nose bottom end interconnecting bottom ends of the front nose rear face and the front decorative face. The front nose top and bottom ends are spaced apart from each other by a second height that is larger than the first height.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a set of stairs incorporating a plurality of wooden structures according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the wooden structure of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment taken along line V-V of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a set of stairs 200 incorporating a plurality of wooden structures 100 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The set of stairs 200 exemplified in this embodiment includes three stairs 201 each having a tread surface 210, and a riser surface 220 connected to a front end of the tread surface 210, and left and right lateral plates 230 connected to left and right ends of the tread and riser surfaces 210, 220 of the stairs 201.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, each of the wooden structures 100 of the present invention is shown to comprise a tread member 10, a front nose member 20, left and right side nose members 40, and a riser member 30. Since assembly of each wooden structure 100 to a respective one of the stairs 201 is similar, only the assembly of one of the wooden structures 100 to one of the stairs 201 will be described hereinafter for the sake of brevity.

The tread member 10 includes a tread core layer 10′ made of lower quality wood and having a tread bottom face 11, and a tread lamella layer 10″ fixed on top of the tread core layer 10′, made of higher quality wood, and having a tread top face 12 opposite to the tread bottom face 11. The lower quality wood is selected from the group consisting of rubber wood, pine wood, cedar wood, defective higher quality wood, high density fiber material, wood core board, plywood board, and particle board. The higher quality wood is selected from the group consisting of oak wood, maple wood, poplar wood, cherry wood, beech wood, alder wood, and hemlock wood. In this embodiment, the tread core layer 10′ is made of a single wood piece. In an alternative embodiment, the tread core layer 10′ may be made of a plurality of interconnected wood pieces. The tread member 10 has a first height (H1) (see FIG. 4), a tread front end face 13 interconnecting front ends of the tread top and bottom faces 12, 11, a tread rear end face 14 interconnecting rear ends of the top and bottom faces 12, 11, and left and right tread lateral end faces 15 each extending from the tread front end face 13 to the tread rear end face 14.

The front nose member 20 is made of wood. Preferably, the front nose member 20 is made of the aforesaid higher quality wood. The front nose member 20 has a front nose rear face 21 connected to the tread front end face 13 and having a part 212 extending downwardly from the tread front end face 13 and adapted to face the riser surface 220, a front decorative face 22 opposite to the front nose rear face 21, a front nose top end 23 interconnecting top ends of the front nose rear face 21 and the front decorative face 22 and flush with the tread top face 12, a front nose bottom end 24 interconnecting bottom ends of the front nose rear face 21 and the front decorative face 22, and two opposite front nose left and right lateral ends 25 connected between the front nose rear face 21 and the front decorative face 22 and between the front nose top and bottom ends 23, 24. The front nose rear face 21 is connected to the tread front end face 13 through a mortise-and-tenon joint. The tread front end face 13 has a tenon 131 of the mortise-and-tenon joint that projects forwardly therefrom and that extends along the length of the tread member 10. The front nose rear face 21 has a mortise 211 of the mortise-and-tenon joint that extends inwardly therefrom and that extends along the length of the front nose member 20 to receive the tenon 131.

The front decorative face 22 has a non-planar surface. The front nose member 20 has a non-uniform thickness in a front-to-rear direction and which varies from the front nose top end 23 to the front nose bottom end 24. The front nose top and bottom ends 23, 24 are spaced apart from each other by a second height (H2) that is larger than the first height (H1). The front nose bottom end 24 and the tread bottom face 11 are spaced apart from each other by a third height (H3).

Each of the left and right side nose members 40 is made of the aforesaid higher quality wood, and has a side nose front end face 41 fixed to a respective left or right lateral end face 25 of the front nose member 20, a side nose rear end face 42 extending rearwardly beyond the tread rear end face 14 by a distance (L) (see FIG. 4), a side nose inner face 43 connected to a respective left or right tread lateral end face 15 and having a part 430 extending downwardly from the respective left or right tread lateral end face 15 and adapted to abut against a respective left or right lateral plate 230, an outer decorative face 44 opposite to the side nose inner face 43, a side nose top end 45 interconnecting top ends of the side nose in reface 43 and the outer decorative face 44 and flush with the tread top face 12, and a side nose bottom end 46 interconnecting bottom ends of the side nose inner face 43 and the outer decorative face 44. The side nose inner face 43 is connected to the respective left or right tread lateral end face 15 through a mortise-and tenon joint. One of the left and right tread lateral end faces 15 has a tenon 151 of the mortise-and-tenon joint that projects outwardly therefrom and that extends along the length of the respective left or right tread lateral end face 15. The side nose inner face 43 has a mortise 431 of the mortise-and-tenon joint that extends inwardly therefrom and that extends along the length of a respective left or right side nose member 40 to receive the tenon 151.

The side nose rear end face 44 has a non-planar decorative surface, as best shown in FIG. 4 in phantom lines. The outer decorative face 44 has a non-planar surface that is similar to that of the front decorative face 22. Each of the left and right side nose member 40 has a non-uniform thickness in a left-to-right direction (in FIG. 5) and which varies from the side nose top end 45 to the side nose bottom end 46. The side nose top and bottom ends 45, 46 are spaced apart from each other by a height similar to the second height (H2). The side nose bottom end 46 and the tread bottom face 11 are spaced apart from each other by a height similar to the third height (H3).

The riser member 30 is adapted to be fixed on the riser surface 220 of the stair 200, and has a top portion 311 clamped by the part 212 of the front nose rear face 21 against the riser surface 220. The riser member 30 includes a riser core layer 31 made of the aforesaid lower quality wood and adapted to abut against the riser surface 220, and a riser lamella layer 32 fixed to an outer surface of the riser core layer 31 and made of the aforesaid higher quality wood.

After the wooden structure 100 of the present invention is made, the front nose member 20 and the side nose members 40 are fixed respectively to the tread front end face 13 and the tread lateral end faces 15 of the tread member 10. During assembly of the wooden structure 100 to one of the stairs 201, the top portion 311 of the riser member 30 is disposed between the front nose rear face 21 and the riser surface 220, after which the front nose member 20 is pushed rearwardly so that the top portion 311 of the riser member 30 is clamped by the front nose rear face 21 against the riser surface 220, and the riser member 30 abuts against the riser surface 220. The tread member 10 may be adhered fixedly to the tread surface 210. Hence, assembly of the present invention to the stair 200 is easy. Further, the front decorative face 22 of the front nose member 20 and the outer decorative faces 44 and the side nose rear end faces 42 of the side nose members 40 have non-planar decorative surfaces so as to enhance the appearance of the wooden structure 100.

The present invention has the following effects:

1. Because the second height (H2) is larger than the first height (H1), and through the presence of the riser member 30, damage or defects on the riser surface 220 can be covered and concealed. Further, the front nose member 20 and the side nose members 40 provide a good decorative effect. Hence, the appearance of the entire wooden structure 100 is enhanced.

2. If the tread member 10 is made of a single wood piece, the entire structure of the wooden structure 100 may be enhanced.

3. The tread core layer 10′ and the riser core layer 31 can be made of lower quality wood, so that not only can the manufacturing cost of the wooden structure 100 be minimized, the impact on the environment can be minimized.

4. The wooden structure 100 of the present invention may be suitable for use on a new stair 201 or for repairing an old stair 201, so that the wooden structure 100 has many applications. For example, the original stair tread and riser member of the stair 201 may be left intact, and the wooden structure 100 may be mounted directly covering the same, so that repair of the stair 201 is quick and fast.

It is worth mentioning that although two side nose members 40 are disclosed in this embodiment for disposal on the two lateral plates 230 of the stair 200, when one of the lateral plates 230 abuts against a wall, then only one side nose member 40 is necessary. Further, if the riser surface 220 of the stair 201 has no damage or defects, the riser member 30 may be dispensed herewith.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A wooden structure for a stair which has a tread surface and a riser surface, said wooden structure comprising: a tread member including a tread core layer made of lower quality wood and having a tread bottom face, and a tread lamella layer fixed on top of said tread core layer, made of higher quality wood, and having a tread top face opposite to said tread bottom face, said tread member having a first height, a tread front end face interconnecting front ends of said tread top and bottom faces, and a tread rear end face interconnecting rear ends of said tread top and bottom faces; and a front nose member made of wood and having a front nose rear face connected to said tread front end face and having a part extending downwardly from said tread front end face and adapted to face the riser surface, a front decorative face opposite to said front nose rear face, a front nose top end interconnecting top ends of said front nose rear face and said front decorative face, and a front nose bottom end interconnecting bottom ends of said front nose rear face and said front decorative face, said front nose top and bottom ends being spaced apart from each other by a second height that is larger than said first height.
 2. The wooden structure of claim 1, wherein said lower quality wood is selected from the group consisting of rubber wood, pine wood, cedar wood, defective higher quality wood, high density fiber material, wood core board, plywood board, and particle board.
 3. The wooden structure of claim 1, wherein said tread core layer of said tread member is made of a single wood piece.
 4. The wooden structure of claim 1, wherein said higher quality wood is selected from the group consisting of oak wood, maple wood, poplar wood, cherry wood, beech wood, alder wood, and hemlock wood.
 5. The wooden structure of claim 1, wherein said front nose rear face is connected to said tread front end face through a mortise-and-tenon joint, said tread front end face having a tenon of said mortise-and-tenon joint that projects forwardly from said tread front end face and that extends along the length of said tread member, said front nose rear face having a mortise of said mortise-and-tenon joint that extends inwardly from said front nose rear face and that extends along the length of said front nose member to receive said tenon.
 6. The wooden structure of claim 5, wherein said front decorative face has a non-planar surface, said front nose member having a non-uniform thickness in a front-to-rear direction and which varies from said front nose top end to said front nose bottom end.
 7. The wooden structure of claim 6, wherein said front nose member is made of higher quality wood selected from the group consisting of oak wood, maple wood, poplar wood, cherry wood, beech wood, alder wood, and hemlock wood.
 8. The wooden structure of claim 1, wherein said tread member further has at least one tread lateral end face extending from said tread front end face to said tread rear end face, said wooden structure further comprising at least one side nose member connected to said tread lateral end face through a mortise-and-tenon joint.
 9. The wooden structure of claim 8, wherein said front nose member further has two opposite front nose left and right lateral ends, said side nose member further having a side nose front end face fixed to one of said front nose left and right lateral ends, a side nose rear end face extending rearwardly beyond said tread rear end face by a distance, and side nose top and bottom end faces spaced apart from each other by a height similar to said second height.
 10. The wooden structure of claim 8, wherein said side nose member is made of higher quality wood selected from the group consisting of oak wood, maple wood, poplar wood, cherry wood, beech wood, alder wood, and hemlock wood.
 11. The wooden structure of claim 1, further comprising a riser member having a top portion clamped by said part of said front nose rear face against the riser surface.
 12. The wooden structure of claim 11, wherein said riser member includes a riser core layer made of lower quality wood and adapted to abut against the riser surface, and a riser lamella layer fixed to an outer surface of said riser core layer and made of higher quality wood. 